Dispensing holder for dental burs



June 24, 1969 Filed Sept. 7, 1967 D. B. HATHAWAY ETAL DISPENSING HOLDERFOR DENTAL BUR-S INVENTORS D. B. HATHAWAY a I. E. HENRY BY MAHONEY,MILLER a RAMBO BY w- TTORNE YS 0.8. HATHAWAY ETAL DISPENSING HQLDER FORDENTAL BURS Sheet Filed Sept. 7. 1967 INVENTORS D. B. HATHAWAY 8 BY I.E. HENRY MAHONEY, MILLER a RAMBO j BY MW ATTORNEYS United States Patent3,451,133 DISPENSING HOLDER FOR DENTAL BURS David B. Hathaway, 2637Bryden Road 43209, and Irvin E. Henry, 1145 Northwest Blvd., Apt. C43212, both of Columbus, Ohio Filed Sept. 7, 1967, Ser. No. 666,172 Int.Cl. A61c 3/04 US. C]. 32-22 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Adispensing holder for dental burs and similar drillrotated instrumentsproviding means for facilitating the insertion and extraction of suchinstruments in and from the driving chuck of a dental handpiece by a onehand operation, and for collecting and retaining used instrumentsseparate and apart from unused, sterile instruments.

Background of the invention This invention relates to a dispensingholder for dental drill bits, burs and similar drill-rotatedinstruments. It has to do, more particularly, with a holder forreceiving and holding the working instruments ordinarily employed by adentist in the drilling, cutting or polishing of teeth, and forfacilitating the selection, insertion, and ejection of such instrumentsin and from the handpiece of a power driven dental drill.

It is customary for a dentist to use an air turbine handpiece whichcarries a rotary friction chuck in which the stem or shank portions ofvarious sizes and shapes of bits, burs and similar instruments areinserted. At present, it is necessary to use both hands in loading andunloading the chuck and to engage the selected instrument with thefingers to push it into the chuck and pull it out of the chuck. Thus,where a number of different instruments are used on a given patient, alarge amount of the dentists time is spent in interchanging burs andother instruments in the dental handpiece.

Objects and general description of invention It is the main object ofthis invention to provide a holder for dental burs and related rotaryworking instruments which functions to hold the instruments in positionswhere they are readily visible for selection and from which they may beeasily and quickly inserted in the handpiece without requiring the useof two hands, and which provides means for ejecting a used instrumentfrom the handpiece to permit rapid interchange of different instruments.

It is another object of this invention to provide a dispensing holderfor dental burs and the like which may be easily sterilized andmaintained in a sterile condition preparatory to its actual use.

In the accompanying drawings, there is illustrated a preferredembodiment of the device of this invention and in these drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the holder and indicating how it isused in loading the chuck of the handpiece.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the holder.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the holder.

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 but taken at 90 relative toFIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 5 but showing different positionsof parts.

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of the holder and indicating how it isused in the unlodaing of the chuck of the handpiece.

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view similar to FIGURE 7 and showing how theremoved instrument is retained.

With reference to the drawings, the holder of this invention is madecompletely of materials which are subject to sterilization by autoclave,boiling or cold solution. It is preferably made mainly of stainlesssteel but includes a *few parts composed of a plastic material which canbe sterilized by any one of the aforementioned procedures. When notactually in use, the entire device loaded with sterile burs and similarinstruments may be covered by a heavy glass or plastic bell (not shown)to maintain sterility.

The device comprises a heavy cylindrical base 10 which will rest on asuitable bracket table of other surface, and, due to its weight, willnot tend to move about thereon. It is provided with a flat top surface11 and spaced slightly below this surface, the base is provided with anannular outwardly opening, peripheral groove 12 formed therein. Thisproduces an instrument-supporting flat shelf or ledge 13 parallel to andbelow the top surface 11 and an annular upper socket containing flange14. This flange is provided with sockets 15 extending verticallycompletely therethrough which may be of various sizes and variouslyarranged in the flange to receive the various working instruments. Theseinstruments may be of various different types, but are here shown ascomprising dental burs or diamond points 16 each having an elongatedshank portion and a working tip 17. As will be understood, theinstruments may be of various shapes and types used in dentalhan'dpieces. They are inserted in the sockets 15 with their tips 17downwardly, resting on the shelf surface 13, and with their shanksupstanding above the upper flat surface 11. With the instruments 16supported in this upright position, the tips 17 can be readily viewedthrough the groove 12 for purpose of selecting the correct instrumentfor a particular operation.

In addition to means for removably supporting the instruments 16, theholder is provided with means for removing or extracting a usedinstrument from the handpiece. This latter means comprises a push-outpin 20 which projects upwardly fromthe upper fiat surface I I of thebase 10. This pin 20 is supported for vertical adjustment in the mannerillustrated best in FIGURE 5. It is mounted for vertical slidingmovement in a bore 21 in the base and has a cushioning collar 22disposed around it and seated in an annular recess in the upper surface11. In alignment with the bore 21 is a tapped bore which extends to theflat lower surface 23 of the base 10. This upwardly opening borereceives a threaded adjusting pin 24 which extends upwardly and engagesthe lower end of the pin 20. By adjusting the screw 24, the pin 20 maybe moved axially up and down in the collar 22 to project more or lessabove the surface 11. The collar 22 will project above the surface 11 toprovide a cushion for engagement with the lower end of the chuck as willlater appear. This collar may be of nylon or other suitable yieldableplastic. Adjacent to and radically outwardly of the cushioning collar22, is a button 25 of similar cushioning material which is mounted in arecess in the flat surface 11 and projects upwardly thereabove. Thecushioning elements 212 and 25 can be removed for sterilization andreplaced when worn.

For automatically retaining each instrument 16 when it is pushed out ofthe chuck by the pin 20, in the manner to be described later, anarrangement is provided which may be termed a magnetic flag-typeretainer. This retainer comprises a permanent magnet 26 which is mountedin a channel member 27 supported in a radially outwardly extendingposition on the upper end of a post section 28 which is supportedoff-center on the base 10 with its axis in perpendicular relationship tothe fiat surface 11 thereof. The magnet 26 presents a flat, verticalsurface 30 which, in the normal position of the post section 28, is in aplane parallel to, but laterally offset from the upstanding push-out pin20, as shown in FIGURES 2 and 4. The magnet-receiving channel member 27is mounted for radial adjustment by means of a slot and screw connection29 (FIGURE 1) on an arm 31 which is integral with the post section 28and extends radially outwardly therefrom.

The post section 28 is in the form of a sleeve which is rotatablymounted on the upper portion of a vertically disposed bolt 32, as shownbest in FIGURES and 6. This bolt is mounted for vertical axial movementin a post socket sleeve 33 which is normally fixed in an upwardlyopening socket 34 formed in the base 10. The member 33 is held inadjusted vertical position in the socket 34, with its upper endprojecting above the fiat surface 11, by means of a set-screw 35engaging therewith and which extends radially inwardly from theperiphery of the base and is tapped in a bore therein. The bolt 32extends downwardly through the sleeve 33, and it will be noted thatthere is a chamber 36 below the sleeve in which the nut 37, carried bythe bolt 32, is disposed and is vertically movable. Between the nut 37and the recessed lower end of the sleeve 33 is a compression spring 38which surrounds the bolt 32. The adjacent ends of the post sections 28and 33 are held in engagement by the spring 38, and these ends areformed with interengaging cam surfaces that cooperate to normallymaintain the magnet 26 in the radial position shown in FIGURES 1 through4.

As previously indicated, this holder is particularly useful in holdingand removing burs or similar instruments of the type which are adaptedto be detachably held and driven in rotation by the friction-type chuckof a dental handpiece. This handpiece is indicated by the numeral 40 inthe drawings and the friction chuck 41 is indicated as being disposed onthe outer end thereof. This friction chuck has the usual socket 42extending completely therethrough. The shank 16 of a selected bur may bepushed axially into the socket 42 at one end thereof and will beautomatically, drivingly gripped by the friction chuck, the details ofwhich are not important to this invention. To remove the instrument, itis merely necessary to insert a push-out pin from the opposite end ofthe socket 42 to push the shank of the bur outwardly from the chuck.Ordinarily, the insertion and/or removal of a bur from the chuckrequires the use of both hands, one to hold the handpiece and the otherto grasp and manipulate the bur and or a hand tool for pushing the burinto or out of the handpiece. This operation is somewhat tedious andrequires handling of the instruments by the fingers which complicatesthe maintenance of hygienic conditions. However, these disadvantages areavoided with the present invention.

The entire holder can be fully loaded with instruments, sterilized, andmaintained in a sterile bell-type enclosure until ready for use. Also,if desired for hygienic conditions, the magnet 26 may be covered with adisposable plastic sleeve or film (not shown). When it is desired to usethe holder, the bell-type enclosure is removed therefrom. The dentistmay now select a particular instrument 16 by visual reference to theworking tip 17 thereof. He will then press the socket 42 of the chucklightly over the upstanding shank of the selected instrument, asindicated in FIG- URE 1, and remove the same from its socket 15. Theselected drill bit or instrument is then fully seated in the chuck 41 bypressing the tip 17 of the instrument downwardly upon the plastic pad25. As will be seem-the picking up and insertion of the selectedinstrument or bur 16 in the chuck 41 of the handpiece may be easily andrapidly accomplished by a one-hand operation.

When it is desired to remove the instrument from the face surface 30 ofthe magnet to swing the magnet and its flag retainer clockwise to aposition in which the socket 42 of the chuck is disposed above and inaxial alignment with the push-out pin 20. The chuck 41 may now be moveddownwardly axially over the pin 20 to push the used instrument 16upwardly out of the chuck socket 42. As the used instrument is pressedoutwardly from the chuck of the handpiece, the instrument ismagnetiically attractaed to and retained on the face 30 of the magnet.When the chuck 41 moves downwardly on the push-out pin 20 and clears themagnet 26, the post section 28 and its magnet-carrying flag will returnto its original position under action of the spring 38 and thecooperation of the interengaging cam ends of the post sections 28 and34. In this position of the magnet, the handpiece may be lifted off ofthe pin 20 ready to receive another instrument. Several burs orinstruments 16 may be accumulated and retained 'on the magnet uponsucccessive removal from the chuck 41. When the treatment of aparticular patient is completed, the accumulated instruments may beremoved from the magnet for sterilization. The plastic sleeve coveringfor the magnet 26 may be removed and replaced by a new one so as toinsure against bacterial contamination of the magnet.

The post structure may be adjusted vertically by loosening and resettingthe screw 35 depending upon the axial extent of the chuck 41. Similarly,the push-out pin 20 may be adjusted vertically by the set-screw 24. Thispush-out pin is preferably of lesser diameter than the shanks of theinstruments 16 so that it will not be tightly gripped by the frictionchuck 41.

It will be apparent that the structure described provides a convenientholder which will visibly hold the instruments for selection by thedentist. These instruments are supported with their shanks upright sothat the dentist can use one hand in moving the chuck over theinstrument and causing it to frictionally engage with the shank of theinstrument. Furthermore, to release the instrument, it is merelynecessary for the dentist to handle the handpiece with the one hand andinvert the chuck to move it into cooperation with the push-out pin. Atthe same time that the instrument is pushed out from the chuck, it isautomatically retained by the movable magnetic flag which is yieldablymounted for angular movement so that it will be properly associated withthe chuck during the unloading operation.

Having thus described this inventon, what is claimed is:

1. A dispensing holder for drill-rotated dental instruments havingshanks adapted to be frictionally received in a drill chuck, said holdercomprising a base having relatively spaced sockets for supporting aplurality of instruments with their shanks exposed in upright position;a push-out pin carried by and projecting upwardly from said base forejecting an instrument from a dental drill chuck when said chuck istelescoped over and forced downwardly on said pin; and magnetic meanssupported by said base and movable in a generally horizontal plane abovesaid push-out pin and operative to magnetically attract and retain saidinstrument when ejected by said push-out pin.

2. A dispensing holder according to claim 1 in which said base has anupper surface with said sockets opening upwardly therefrom, saidpush-out pin extending upwardly from said upper surface, and whereinsaid magnetic means comprises a post extending upwardly from saidsurface, a magnet retainer carried by and projecting laterally outwardlyfrom said post above said push-out pin and arranged for swingingmovement about the axis of said post, and wherein said base includes aperipheral groove disposed below said upper surface and communicatingwith the lower ends of said sockets, said groove providing a shelf onwhich instruments positioned in said sockets may be supported with theirworking ends visible.

3. A dispensing holder according to claim 2 in which said post comprisesan upper rotatable section which car- '5 ries said magnet retainer and arelatively fixed lower section connected to said base, the upper sectionof said post being axially movable relative to the lower section, saidpost sections having interengaging cam faces normally holding saidmagnet retainer in a predetermined angular position With respect to theaxis of said post.

4. A dispensing holder according to claim 2 including means foradjusting said post vertically on said base and means for adjusting saidpin vertically on said base.

'5. A dispensing holder according to claim 3 including means mountingthe magnet retainer on said upper post section for radial adjustment.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,513,894 7/1950 Rogers 206l72,816,790 12/1957 Johnson. 3,067,864 12/ 1962 Thompson et a1. 206l73,270,416 9/1966 Massa 32-40 X Primary Examiner.

